Metchi decided to add meditation to her ever-growing list of things that she hated with a passion, in between math and milk.

She took in another deep breath, eyes closed shut. Her back was as straight as a plank and her hands were placed palm up one on top of the other over her lap, the tips of her thumbs touching slightly. She held in the air for another second and let it go, shoulders wilting forward.

A glowing gold shimmered from behind her eyelids, and the rest of her body was covered in a slightly paler glow, as if she were exuding sunlight from her pores. This lasted for almost ten seconds, until her concentration broke and she had to take a sudden breath, eyes going wide in pain.

The wind, which seemed to have stilled while she meditated, began to blow in earnest, sending trails of fallen leaves dancing in front of her. The only other creature in that part of the forest besides her was the Monferno standing a few feet away, punching and kicking the air in rapid succession, his body covered in wisps of flame.

His training was going a lot better than hers, it seemed. And just like that, with that thought popping into her mind, a voice did as well.

"That was the worst attempt so far, Metchi."

She took yet another deep breath, if only to stop herself from replying less than tactfully to that.

"I don't know what the hell do you want me to do," she said, breathing heavily. "I'm trying, you know I'm trying!"

"You're hesitant is what you are," Azelf said. "I know you despise using this power, but we don't have the benefit of wasting one of the only tools at our disposal."

She let herself fall against the ragged texture of a nearby tree, hanging her head down. Thick droplets of sweat ran down her forehead.

"You're grumpier than usual today," she whispered under her breath.

"I'm the same as always Metchi, it's just that today I feel the air around us a bit… well, it doesn't matter. Just keep concentrating and practicing."

"It's not as easy as you make it sound," she scoffed. "There has to be another way to do this."

"If we had more time to work with, we could move on to even broader applications of my power," Azelf said. "However, with only two days before we head to the lake all we can do is hone the skills you already have. Which is why you need to be able to maintain the eyes for more than a minute without collapsing."

As usual, Azelf's knack for being both right all the time and a total asshole about it left her without much to say back.

It was theoretically possible that they would reach the lake and no one would be there to stop them. It was also theoretically possible that every single member of Team Galactic would fall down a staircase at the same time and her problems would be swiftly resolved, but it wasn't something she could count on. She needed a lifeline, and this stupid power was all she had.

"I must be the worst hero of all fucking time." She laughed at her own comment, a bit of pity under her voice. "Who the hell sent me to–"

She was interrupted by the sight of the Monferno approaching her. His brow was constantly furrowed, as usual, and he sported a familiar look of exasperation on his round face. However this time it seemed more relaxed, as if he were getting used to it.

He stopped five inches from her, stomping the ground as if she were to blame for all the noise and arguing. He then growled something that Metchi did not understand and he made a strange gesture, letting both arms fall at the side of his body.

"Uh… what?"

He did not move, glaring at her expectantly.

"I believe he wants you to imitate his pose."

She looked towards the ghostly illusion of Azelf, and then back to Monferno. He didn't nod, but he didn't shake his head either.

"Alright…"

With effort she pushed herself to her feet, every muscle complaining loudly, and stood in front of the fire Pokemon. He barely reached to her midriff, but she did her best to imitate the way he stood. Feet parted; not too much but not too little. Arms hanging limply, shoulders down and neck craning slightly forward.

"Is this good?" she asked, hesitantly.

Monferno nodded energetically, as if saying 'Finally!' and urged her with a wave of the hand to do what she'd been doing before. After a moment of consideration, Metchi nodded and closed her eyes.

The change was immediate. A weightless blanket of flame emerged from every pore of her body, as if a bonfire had come to life inside her chest. Her eyes lit up like lanterns. Such was her surprise that she was momentarily stunned; which was good since otherwise it would've instantly vanished the second she moved.

She stood still as a statue, breathing in and out as the power traveled her veins. It felt comfortable and familiar, and she had to use only a fraction of the concentration she'd needed before.

"Wh-what is this?" she asked, her voice intertwined with that of Azelf.

Monferno roared and growled the answer, all the while crossing his arms smugly. She blinked a few times, understanding none of that he'd said.

"He's saying that a relaxed and natural posture works best for the flow of energy," Azelf clarified. "Rather obvious, now that I think about it."

She only stopped herself from crudely replying to that because she knew the effect would break if she did. Instead she tried to control her breathing and plunged herself deeper into the calming feeling. It was even stranger than before; in it she could feel the direction of the wind even with her eyes closed, she could count every single leaf that fell around them along with the heartbeat of Monferno and herself.

There was something more. She would've called it a shadow on the edge of her vision if she were… actually seeing, though she could find no better way to describe it. It was similar to the feeling of someone staring at her back, or the hurried whispers of people talking about her. A slight shiver ran down her spine, and she didn't know why.

"In any case, this is a pleasant development." She heard Azelf's voice distant, as if it were many feet away. "Hopefully you'll last at least five minutes, and then we can move on to…"

But she wasn't listening anymore. Deeper and deeper she went, opening doors inside herself that she didn't even know existed. She walked the halls of an enormous, pitch black house and the further she walked the calmer she was. The heat enveloping her was so comfortable now, and she felt like she could take a long, pleasant nap…

"Metchi…"

She scrunched up her nose, as if a fly had zoomed past her ear. Why did Azelf have to bother her now? Didn't it want her to give herself to this power?

"Metchi!"

More and more doors she opened, and with each one she could begin to make out the faintest flickers of light in the distance. If she could only get there…

"METCHI!"

She came back to reality, the shift so sudden it made her violently dizzy. She shivered like a Growlithe trying to dry its wet fur, and her eyes went wide, back to their usual blue.

"What happ–"

"Metchi!" Azelf yelled inside her mind, making her jump. "You're back! Listen to me, there's someone w–"

Its voice stopped, without warning. It fizzled out inside her head, leaving the entirety of her body covered in an empty, hollow mantle of nothing.

"Hello."

She gasped so hard she actually hurt her throat. The voice traveled towards Metchi and Monferno like invisible ropes of wind, keeping them still and leaving them breathless. A figure appeared from the shadows between two trees, taking light steps towards them.

The hooded stranger lifted her chin slightly, and Metchi could see the outline of a woman's body underneath the garment. Her skin was pale like marble, with a long, red scar running from her chest to the right side of her neck. Messy tufts of ashen hair framed her strangely angular face. Shadows covered her eyes, even though the light of the sun should've revealed them.

She formed a lazy, lopsided smile of thin lips, and spoke.

"I am terribly sorry for frightening you," she said, barely above a whisper. "It's a pleasure to meet you; my name is Shadi."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Metchi squared up her shoulders and lowered her knees expectantly, the hair on the back of her neck standing up as if she were a startled Meowth ready to either pounce forward or run away. Monferno did the same, though in his case it was clear what option he'd choose, should the situation come to it.

If Shadi noticed, she did not show it, though there wasn't much of her to see. The fabric of her coat (was it even a coat? It kind of looked like a cloak) reached almost to her feet and waved at the tips, even though the wind had stilled. She could swear she saw the edges slightly fade into shadows when she wasn't looking directly at them.

Azelf? she thought with as much concentration as she could gather. Azelf! Are you there?

No voice replied back, and panic began to set in as if a dam had burst inside her. She could feel its absence, as if an entire part of her mind had suddenly gone to sleep.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice imbued with more bravery than she felt. Monferno echoed her words with a low growl, baring his teeth.

It took Shadi a moment to reply, and Metchi felt as if she were being looked at through X-rays.

"I want to talk," she said, voice surprisingly firm for being so quiet. "Last I checked, that was a perfectly acceptable thing to do between strangers."

Exhaustion clung to the woman's, even if she didn't display any of it outwardly. Still, she didn't believe for a single second that this so-called Shadi was anything but bad news, as wimpy as she looked. Even if her sudden appearance hadn't lined up with Azelf going quiet she still would've figured something was off about her.

I can't ask her about what happened to Azelf, she thought. Then I'd be admitting that I bonded with it.

"I'm not a very talkative person," she said, a clear undertone of threat in her voice. "If you're lost I can give you directions and you'll be on your way. Best if we keep out each other's path, lest someone gets hurt."

While Metchi's posture seemed relaxed on the outside, anyone who paid attention could see the signs of danger. Her shoulders were stiff, one of her hands was slightly raised and the other one hovered dangerously close to her pocket, where one of her many hidden knives lay unseen.

Again, Shadi did not seem to notice anything, and looked as if she couldn't bear the thought of danger being something she would need to deal with.

"I'll be off as soon as we can talk," she said. "You are Metchi, correct? Previously known as Ursa?"

Her body moved before she willed it to, the sound of her old name flooding her with a panicked heat. With a movement as fluid as water she slipped two fingers into the hidden pocket of her shirt and grabbed the folded knife. At her left she saw a small explosion of light, followed by a wave of heat. Monferno had been quick to react as well.

But it did not matter one bit. Shadi lunged forward, moving so fast that Metchi wasn't even sure she'd moved at all. She saw the glimpse of two arms rustling under her cloak, and… was one of them made of shad–

Before she could process that thought Shadi's fingers closed around her wrist, and everything went black. If she could scream she would've done it at the top of her lungs, and if she had any control over her breathing she would've inhaled sharply enough to burst a lung. As soon as their skin met Metchi felt a chill running up her arm like the crack of lightning. Her strength left her, consciousness beginning to fade.

Then it stopped, just as fast as it had started, and she fell backwards to the ground. She barely avoided hitting the back of her head, and for two seconds that felt far longer she simply laid there, breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. Still in a daze, she could hear Shadi's voice as if it were far away.

"…one way to do it. She's marked now, so I just need to tell her the rest…"

It didn't sound like Shadi was speaking to her, though she couldn't really tell in her current state. With shaking limbs she put both arms behind her and pushed herself until she was sitting. She could still feel the aftermath of the searing cold in her right arm, as if all the blood inside had gone down a few degrees.

Her gaze fell to her left, where Monferno lay on his back like she'd been a few seconds before, only his eyes were closed shut. Her breath staggered until she took a look at his chest; it still rose up and down with the rhythm of his breathing. He was alive, at the very least.

"What did you do to him?" she asked, and it startled her just how faint her voice sounded.

Shadi hesitated for a moment, as if she'd been caught in the middle of a conversation with someone else.

"I just put him to sleep," she said. "Just like I did with Azelf. They should wake up in a few minutes, so you needn't worry."

She knew she should've been surprised by the fact that this woman knew of Azelf, but that was not the case. Her mind had about a hundred other, more important things to freak out about.

"And what are you going to do with me?" she asked, the corners of her lips curving up in a forced smile. She needed to buy time. "You knew my name, but you're not wearing the Galactic uniform. Was Mars too busy so they decided to hire a hitman? I hope you know what happened to the last grunts that came to find me."

Shadi hung her head a bit so their eyes could meet; hers were a pale, faded green, oddly familiar. Her lips were pursed in an attempt not to smile. Her expression was that of someone tenderly watching a harmless Pokemon bare its fangs and try to make itself look meaner than it was.

"You speak too much, Metchi. Intimidation requires brevity and wit, both of which you seem to lack," she said. "You're right about one thing: I'm not part of Galactic. I've done a few favors for them in the past, but this is not one of them. I came to you of my own accord. I want to rely some information to you. Once I've done that, I'll be on my way and you will never see me again." She tilted her head to the side, smiling. "I don't intend to hurt you, unless you make me."

As far as threats went, hers was straightforward and to the point. Polite even. Metchi staggered back for a moment as she got to her feet; she almost would've wished something a bit more grim, at least then she'd have an excuse to punch her in the face.

"Alright then…" she whispered. "Say what you wanna say."

Shadi took a moment to clear her throat, as if she were about to give a damn speech. When she spoke her voice came out without the dangerous edge it'd carried before. It was slow and throaty, what Metchi would've expected from a bookworm.

"Right now you are heading to Lake Valor to recharge Azelf's power," she said, and a moment after she raised one hand when Metchi's eyes went wide. "Don't ask how I know; we'll be here all day. I came to tell you that Cyrus knows you're headed there and ordered Saturn to set up a trap for when you arrive."

She said it so nonchalantly that it took Metchi a moment to process it. She parted her lips, but felt like something was obstructing her throat.

"How…"

"It's obvious when you stop to think about it." Shadi shrugged. "I'm guessing he wants to catch you alive. They're scared you'll hide the papers you stole before going there, and they'll be lost forever if you die."

Metchi's face went a bit pale. "I… didn't even think of that."

"That much is obvious," Shadi whispered under her breath. "In any case, that's all I wanted to tell you. Make use of that information in any way you see fit."

She moved her feet back as if she were about to turn around and leave.

"W-wait!" Metchi yelped, raising a hand towards her. "How do you know that if you're not with them? And why would you tell me this? Do you think I'm just gonna… trust whatever you say and walk in there like an idiot!?"

Shadi looked perplexed for a moment, and the way she pursed her lips reminded her terribly of someone else.

"I think… that you're desperate and have no choices left," she said. "How I gather my information is none of your business. I'm only telling you this out of kindness and because I'd rather you hold on to Azelf for the time being than them. I can't have Cyrus succeed too quickly, that would make things unnecessarily complicated."

"Then… if you want me to hold on to Azelf, why don't you come with me to Lake Valor? Why don't you help me?" She swatted at the air with one hand, frowning. "If what you're saying is true…"

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Shadi interrupted her. "I'd love to waste my time with a pointless battle, but I can't fall onto Cyrus' bad side just yet. Besides, the face of the moon will change two days from now. I'll need to be in Snowpoint by then; make sure those chains still hold tight."

Metchi struggled to speak for a few seconds, a wide confusion encompassing all of her. Any reaction besides a low stammering was beyond her. A million questions flew through her mind like buzzing Beedrill, and her tongue got tied with itself while she tried to decide which one to ask first. Shadi looked like she was about to leave, again, so she didn't have much time.

"Who… are you?" she asked. "You look… I mean, have we met before?"

Shadi slightly hunched forward, her eyes hidden in shadows once more. She deliberated for a second before replying.

"I'm just a nobody," she said. "As for why you think you recognize me… maybe you've run into my sister in the past?"

It took her a second to realize what she meant. As her eyes went wide, an irritating and familiar voice ringed in her head.

"Shadi Dawn. Sort of looked like me; a bit taller, longer hair and angular face…"

"Inyssa…" she whispered, looking up at her. "She's your sister? The one that walks around like she owns the world and is annoying as all fuck?"

Shadi hunched over a bit more, one hand hovering over her stomach and the other one pressed against her mouth. She recognized the gesture; she was trying desperately to stifle laughter.

"That would be the one, yes."

"She's…" Metchi held her breath for a moment, brow furrowed. "She's looking for you. She told me that."

Shadi's smile dropped. Her shoulders rose slightly, gaining a tension that made Metchi wary.

"I know she is," she said dryly. "Unfortunately, I don't have time for family right now."

Those words triggered an immediate reaction. Heat rose to her face so fast it almost startled her. It coated her arms as well, and it took a great amount of effort not to act on the idiotic impulses that flooded her.

"I really should go," Shadi excused herself. "So unless there's anything else you want…"

"There is, actually."

It was clear she was taken aback, judging by the way her hand froze mid air. Still, she tried to form a smile and nodded courteously.

"And what would that be?"

Metchi moved as fast as she'd done before, taking a strong step forward and throwing her fist towards Shadi's face. She did not expect her punch to connect. She figured Shadi would either dodge with the speed she'd shown before or her body would disintegrate into smoke. However it seemed she was not expecting it and, for whatever reason, she stood there as Metchi's knuckles struck her nose.

And she fell. Not elegantly like in the action movies Metchi liked to watch; her feet slid back furiously and she was thrown against a nearby tree. As she flailed her arm to the side the back of her head connected with the trunk in a way that made it bounce. Like a rag-doll, she slid down against it until her butt hit the ground.

"I just wanted to let you know; no one threatens me," Metchi said, and this time the valor in her voice wasn't faked. "Be grateful that was a punch and not a knife to the throat."

Shadi staggered for a moment, pressing a hand against her face. Blood started to run through her fingers in the spot where she'd broken her nose, and for a few long moments she sat still.

The stupidity of her actions dawned on Metchi a moment after, and the hair on her arms stood up in fear. Surely she was about to die; Shadi would get up and put her to sleep like she'd done with the others, and then she'd kill her for daring to attack her in such a way.

Instead, something even stranger happened. Shadi grabbed onto the bark of the tree, struggling to rise to her feet, one hand over her mouth and nose. And there, besides the blood running down to her lips, there in her cheeks, Metchi saw redness. Shadi was... blushing? The sight was enough to completely throw her off.

"I guess I deserve that," she said, voice muffled. "Don't worry, I'm magnanimous enough that I can let this insult go if-"

"Are you-?" Metchi interrupted her, sounding very much weirded out. "Are you... D-did you like me punching you?"

There was silence for a moment. Then, Shadi swatted at the air behind her, and the shadows thickened, as though a passage through them had been opened. She stepped back, slowly disappearing into the shadows, unable to hide the flush in her cheeks.

"...Until next time, Metchi," she said, trying to sound casual. "I wish you luck in your suicide mission."